Systems and methods employing limbed vehicle and spaced posts
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems including a limbed vehicle having a plurality of controllably movable limbs (e.g., a limbed machine, limbed robot, etc.) and a plurality of spaced posts that the limbed vehicle may travel on using the limbs. As non-limiting examples, such disclosed embodiments of systems may be used to service an agriculture field, to enable travel over an environmentally-sensitive area or an area impassable by a conventional wheeled or tracked vehicle, and may be used in many other different applications. Embodiments disclosed herein also relate to methods of operating a limbed vehicle to travel on a plurality of spaced posts.
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The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/006,081 entitled LIMBED VEHICLES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS USING SAME, AND POST NETWORKS ON WHICH LIMBED VEHICLES TRAVEL, naming Jeffrey A. Bowers, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood Jr., and Victoria Y. H. Wood as inventors, filed on Dec. 28, 2007.
The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/006,052 entitled LIMBED VEHICLES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS USING SAME, AND POST NETWORKS ON WHICH LIMBED VEHICLES TRAVEL, naming Jeffrey A. Bowers, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood Jr. and Victoria Y. H. Wood as inventors filed on Dec. 28, 2007.
SUMMARYAccording to one embodiment, a system includes, but is not limited to, a plurality of spaced posts and a limbed vehicle having a plurality of controllably movable limbs. The limbed vehicle is configured to travel on the posts using the controllably movable limbs.
According to another embodiment, a method of operating such a system includes, but is not limited to, directing a limbed vehicle to be supported on at least one post of a plurality of spaced posts using at least one limb of the limbed vehicle. The method further includes, but is not limited to, directing the limbed vehicle to travel onto at least one additional post of the plurality of spaced posts.
The foregoing is a summary and thus contains, by necessity, simplifications, generalizations and omissions of detail. Consequently, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary is illustrative only and is NOT intended to be in any way limiting. Other aspects, features, and advantages of the systems or methods described herein, as defined by the claims, will become apparent in the detailed description set forth herein.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented herein.
Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to systems including a limbed vehicle having a plurality of limbs (e.g., a limbed machine, limbed robot, etc.) and a plurality of spaced posts on which the limbed vehicle may travel using the limbs. As non-limiting examples, such disclosed embodiments of systems may be used to service an agriculture field, to travel over an environmentally-sensitive area, to travel over an area impassable by a conventional wheeled or tracked vehicle, or in many other different applications. Embodiments disclosed herein are also directed to methods of directing a limbed vehicle to travel on a plurality of spaced posts. As used herein, phrases such as “travel on a plurality of posts” or similar phrases such as “a plurality of posts on which the limbed vehicle travels” include, but are not limited to, the limbed vehicle making contact with the posts at a distal end of the post as well as making contact with any other portion of a post, including a side of a post.
Posts 102 may be at least partially embedded within the medium 104 and may project outwardly from, beyond, or above the surface 105, and further may be spaced from an adjacent post 102 by a post spacing S. However, in some applications the spacing between adjacent posts 102 may not be uniform and the spacing may be tailored for specific types of applications. As will be described in more detail below, at least one post 102 includes a limb-interfacing surface 103 (only limb-interfacing surfaces 103a-103d are labeled in
Installation of at least one post 102 may be performed by drilling a corresponding borehole in the medium 104 with, for example, a directional boring machine, and emplacing the post 102 into the corresponding borehole. In another embodiment, a mechanized post-driving machine may be used to emplace at least one post 102 into the medium 104. For example, such mechanized post-driving machines may be pneumatically or hydraulically actuated to drive a post 102 into medium 104 and are commercially available from a variety of different companies. For example, pneumatic post drivers are commercially available from Rohrer Manufacturing of Powell Butte, Oreg. However, other techniques may be employed to emplace a post 102 in the medium 104. In some embodiments, one or more of the posts 102 may be mechanically coupled to a support structure that is at least partially embedded in the medium 104. In such an embodiment, the one or more of the posts 102 mechanically coupled to the support structure may also be at least partially embedded in the medium 104 or may not be embedded in the medium 104.
Still referring to
The limbed vehicle 106 may be operated in a manner so that at least one limb 110 and 112 is directed to move from one post 102 onto another one of the posts 102 in a walking motion. For example, as shown in
In certain embodiments, the limb-interfacing surface 103 of a post 102 may have a large enough surface area relative to the size of the feet 112 and 114 of the limbed vehicle 106 so that both of the feet 112 and 114 may be positioned on a single one of the posts 102 to support the limbed vehicle 106 thereon. Thus, in such an embodiment, the limbed vehicle 106 may be directed to travel from one of the posts 102 that supports the entire weight of the limbed vehicle 106 to another one of the posts 102 that also supports the entire weight of the limbed vehicle 106 or the limbs 108 and 110 may be directed to independently move in a manner so that the limb 108 is supported by one of the posts 102 and the limb 110 is supported by a different one of the posts 102.
The limbed vehicle 106 may be remotely controlled, may be driven by an operator that rides in or on the limbed vehicle 106, or the limbed vehicle 106 may be pre-programmed to travel along a programmed route. For example,
Still referring to
Referring to
In a further embodiment, a limbed vehicle may include a robotic control system configured to automatically direct the movement of the controllably movable limbs and other operations of the limbed vehicle.
Referring to
The resilient members 400 and 402 may also be configured to impart momentum to the limbed vehicle 106. For example, as the foot 112 contacts a limb-interfacing surface 103 (See
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
During travel on the posts 102, at least one foot 608 of the limbed vehicle 600 may be magnetically attracted to a corresponding post 102 or to a common post 102 via magnetic attraction between the mechanisms 700 and 702. The strength of the magnetic attraction may be controlled by controlling the magnetic field strength of the mechanisms 700 and 702. For example, the type of permanent magnet that is employed may be selected based on its strength or the strength of the magnetic field of the electromagnet may be controllably adjusted. However, despite the magnetic attraction between the mechanisms 700 and 702, the limbed vehicle 602 has sufficient power to disengage at least one foot 608 from a corresponding post 102.
Referring to
In operation, the enclosure 810 of absorbing mechanism 804 may be axially displaced along a length of the support member 812 to help absorb a component of the momentum of the limbed vehicle 106 in a vertical direction (i.e., axially) as the limbed vehicle 106 steps on post 802. For example, as shown in
The resilient member 806 of the absorbing mechanism 804 may also impart force to the limbed vehicle 106 to enable the limbed vehicle 106 to move from a first one of the posts 802 to second one of the posts 802 that is spaced from the first one of the posts 802 a distance greater than a stride length of the limbs 108 and 110 of the limbed vehicle 106. For example, as the foot 114 contacts the upper surface of the enclosure 810 and compresses the resilient member 806, the resilient member 806 stores energy due to the compression and at least a portion of the stored energy may be released and imparted to the limbed vehicle 106 to increase the momentum of the limbed vehicle 106. In another embodiment, the resilient member 804 may be configured as a hydraulic or pneumatic ram that absorbs force from and imparts force to the limbed vehicle 106 responsive to the limbs 108 or 110 contacting the post 802 and triggering, for example, a switch. In such an embodiment, the ram may be function as a passive shock absorber when one or more of the limbs 108 and 110 of the limbed vehicle 106 contact the post 802 and the ram may be actuated to impart a force to the limbed vehicle 106 when the ram is axially displaced downward a selected distance.
Referring to
The post 802 shown in
In other embodiments, one or more posts of a post network may change configuration responsive to interacting with a limbed vehicle, or one or more limbs of the limbed vehicle may change configuration responsive to interacting with at least one post. The change in the configuration of the post or limb may occur before, during, or after the limb-post interaction. For example, one or more of the posts may include respective deployable platforms. Responsive to at least one limb of the limb vehicle contacting a first post, at least a second post in operable communication with the first post may deploy a platform to provide a larger limb-interfacing surface for the approaching limbed vehicle. In other embodiments, one or more of the platforms may automatically deploy at a specified time, such as before or during the time that the limbed vehicle travels on the posts. In another embodiment, as at least one limb of the limbed vehicle contacts the post, the configuration may change (e.g., deploying a platform, actuating a force-imparting device to impart force to the at least one limb, etc.).
In other embodiments, at least one limb of the limbed vehicle may change configuration responsive to interacting with at least one post. For example, a first set of posts may be distributed on land and a second set of posts may be distributed in a body of water (e.g., a lake or ocean). At least one limb of the limbed vehicle may deploy an inflatable structure before or during travel on the second set posts as a safety precaution should the limbed vehicle fall into the body of water. In another embodiment, one or more of the limbs of the limbed vehicle may change from a high-drag configuration (e.g., having high surface area) to a low-drag configuration responsive to interacting with at least one post. Other changes in limb configurations are also contemplated herein.
The various disclosed embodiments of systems may be employed in a variety of different application environments. Turning again to
Still referring to
In some embodiments, the limbed vehicle 1008 may be tall enough so that at least the vehicle body 1012 may be positioned above the crops 1006 while supported on the posts 1002. In other embodiments, some or all of the posts 1002 may be configured to be adjustable in height (e.g., telescoping in length) so that the position of the limbed vehicle 1008 relative to the crops 1006 may be selectively adjusted.
In operation, the limbed vehicle 1008 of the system 1000 may be directed to travel on the posts 1002, as previously described with respect to any of the other embodiments, and service selected crops 1006 while supported on one or more posts 1002.
In operation, the limbed vehicle 1108 may be directed to vertically ascend on the posts 1104 extending from the vertical structure 1102 by moving the limbs 1110 in a walking motion and gripping at least one post 1104 that the individual limbs 1110 contact. The limbed vehicle 1108 may also be directed to travel horizontally on the posts 1104 extending downwardly from the horizontal structure 1105 in a similar manner. As previously described in
The limbed vehicles described herein may also be used to deploy posts on which the limbed vehicle may travel. Accordingly,
As shown in
Although the method described with respect to
In other embodiments, the post-installation apparatus 1216 may be configured as a machine configured to drill a borehole in the medium 104. In such an embodiment, the apparatus 1216 of the limbed vehicle 1200 may be directed to drill a borehole in the medium 104 followed by directing the end effector 1214 to pick-up the post 1220 and position the post 1220 in the drilled borehole.
The herein described components (e.g., steps), devices, and objects and the description accompanying them are used as examples for the sake of conceptual clarity and that various configuration modifications using the disclosure provided herein are within the skill of those in the art. Consequently, as used herein, the specific exemplars set forth and the accompanying description are intended to be representative of their more general classes. In general, use of any specific exemplar herein is also intended to be representative of its class, and the non-inclusion of such specific components (e.g., steps), devices, and objects herein should not be taken as indicating that limitation is desired.
With respect to the use of substantially any plural or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context or application. The various singular/plural permutations are not expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.
The herein described subject matter sometimes illustrates different components contained within, or connected with, different other components. It is to be understood that such depicted architectures are merely exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures can be implemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively “associated” such that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality can be seen as “associated with” each other such that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermedial components. Likewise, any two components so associated can also be viewed as being “operably connected,” or “operably coupled,” to each other to achieve the desired functionality, and any two components capable of being so associated can also be viewed as being “operably couplable”, to each other to achieve the desired functionality. Specific examples of operably couplable include but are not limited to physically mateable or physically interacting components or wirelessly interactable or wirelessly interacting components or logically interacting or logically interactable components.
While particular aspects of the present subject matter described herein have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from the subject matter described herein and its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention is defined by the appended claims. It will be understood that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an”; the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together, etc.). Virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”
While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting.
Claims
1. A system, comprising:
- a plurality of spaced posts that are disposed at least partially in a support medium;
- a limbed vehicle including a plurality of controllably movable limbs, the limbed vehicle configured to travel on at least two of the posts using the controllably movable limbs; and
- wherein the plurality of spaced posts do not form part of the limbed vehicle.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of spaced posts is configured to controllably modify momentum of the limbed vehicle responsive to being contacted by the limbed vehicle.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one of the posts is configured to controllably modify a horizontal component or a vertical component of the momentum of the limbed vehicle.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of spaced posts is configured to controllably modify momentum of at least one of the controllably movable limbs responsive to being contacted by the at least one of the controllably movable limbs.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of spaced posts is configured to controllably impart a force to the limbed vehicle responsive to being contacted by the limbed vehicle.
6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:
- a plurality of support members, at least one of which is mechanically coupled to at least one of the posts.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the support members is mechanically coupled to ground.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of spaced posts includes a limb-interfacing mechanism.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the limb-interfacing mechanism includes a magnetic mechanism.
10. The system of claim 8, wherein the limb-interfacing mechanism includes an electromagnet mechanism.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the controllably movable limbs of the limbed vehicle includes a post-interfacing mechanism.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the post-interfacing mechanism includes a magnetic mechanism.
13. The system of claim 11, wherein the post-interfacing mechanism includes an electromagnet mechanism.
14. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of spaced posts is configured to change configuration responsive to interacting with at least one of the controllably movable limbs of the limbed vehicle.
15. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the controllably movable limbs is configured to change configuration responsive to interacting with at least one of the posts.
16. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of spaced posts includes an elongated member disposed at least partially within ground.
17. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of spaced posts is mechanically coupled to the ground.
18. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of spaced posts is adjustable in length.
19. The system of claim 1, wherein the support medium includes a surface.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein the surface includes a substantially vertical surface.
21. The system of claim 19, wherein the surface includes a substantially horizontal surface.
22. The system of claim 19, wherein the surface includes an agriculture field.
23. The system of claim 22, wherein the limbed vehicle carries an agriculture tool.
24. The system of claim 1, wherein the limbed vehicle includes an operator interface configured to allow an operator to direct the operation thereof.
25. The system of claim 1, wherein the limbed vehicle is operable via a remote-control system.
26. The system of claim 1, wherein the limbed vehicle includes a robotic control system.
27. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of controllably movable limbs includes at least one limb configured to carry a payload.
28. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the controllably movable limbs carries a post-installation apparatus.
29. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the controllably movable limbs carries a support member installation apparatus.
30. A method, comprising:
- directing a limbed vehicle to be at least partially supported on at least one post of a plurality of spaced posts using at least one limb of the limbed vehicle, wherein the plurality of spaced posts are disposed at least partially in a support medium, and wherein the plurality of spaced posts do not form part of the limbed vehicle; and
- directing the limbed vehicle to travel onto at least one additional post of the plurality of spaced posts.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein directing the limbed vehicle to travel onto at least one additional post of the plurality of spaced posts further includes:
- directing the limbed vehicle to be at least partially supported on the at least one additional post using the at least one limb of the limbed vehicle; and
- directing the limbed vehicle to cease being at least partially supported by the at least one post.
32. The method of claim 30, further comprising:
- contacting the at least one post with the at least one limb to cause the at least one post to apply force to the limbed vehicle.
33. The method of claim 30, wherein directing a limbed vehicle to be at least partially supported on at least one post of a plurality of spaced posts using at least one limb of the limbed vehicle includes:
- directing the limbed vehicle to be partially supported on a first post of the plurality of spaced posts by a first limb of the limbed vehicle; and
- directing the limbed vehicle to be partially supported on a second post of the plurality of spaced posts by a second limb of the limbed vehicle.
34. The method of claim 30, wherein directing the limbed vehicle to travel onto at least one additional post of the plurality of spaced posts includes:
- directing a first limb of the limbed vehicle to move onto a first additional post of the plurality of spaced posts; and
- directing a second limb of the limbed vehicle to move onto a second additional post of the plurality of spaced posts.
35. The method of claim 30, further comprising:
- causing the at least one limb to at least partially physically interface with the at least one additional post.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein causing the at least one limb to at least partially physically interface with the at least one additional post includes:
- causing the at least one limb to be magnetically attracted to the at least one additional post.
37. The method of claim 36, wherein causing the at least one limb to at least partially physically interface with the at least one additional post includes:
- causing a post-interfacing mechanism of the at least one limb to at least partially interlock with a limb-interfacing mechanism of the at least one additional post.
38. The method of claim 30, further comprising:
- directing the limbed vehicle to service an agriculture field including the plurality of spaced posts distributed therewithin.
39. The method of claim 30, further comprising:
- prior to directing the limbed vehicle to travel onto the at least one additional post of the plurality of spaced posts, directing the limbed vehicle to deploy the at least one additional post while the limbed vehicle is at least partially supported on the at least one post.
40. The method of claim 39, wherein directing the limbed vehicle to deploy the at least one additional post while the limbed vehicle is at least partially supported on the at least one post includes:
- directing the limbed vehicle to take the at least one additional post from a supply of posts carried by the limbed vehicle.
41. The method of claim 30, wherein the at least one post and the at least one additional post project outwardly from a substantially vertical surface.
42. The method of claim 30, wherein the at least one post and the at least one additional post project outwardly from a substantially horizontal surface.
43. The method of claim 30, further comprising:
- directing the limbed vehicle to mechanically interconnect the at least one post and the at least one additional post.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Dec 28, 2007
Date of Patent: Oct 27, 2015
Patent Publication Number: 20090166104
Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, LLC (Bellevue, WA)
Inventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers (Kirkland, WA), Roderick A. Hyde (Redmond, WA), Muriel Y. Ishikawa (Livermore, CA), Jordin T. Kare (Seattle, WA), Clarence T. Tegreene (Bellevue, WA), Lowell L. Wood (Bellevue, WA), Victoria Y.H. Wood (Livermore, CA)
Primary Examiner: Joseph Rocca
Assistant Examiner: Jacob Knutson
Application Number: 12/006,079
International Classification: B62D 57/032 (20060101); A01B 51/02 (20060101);